Wait until homelessness goes down.

Is it better for homelessness to go up by 10,000?

There have been seven of those this year.

The Taoiseach is reading from a press release.

Where were they six months ago?

The Taoiseach does not have a notion.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Táim ag plé leis an nGaeilge leis na blianta fada. Bhí díospóireacht idir mé féin agus an Teachta Ó Snodaigh ag an gColáiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, an tseachtain seo caite. Bhíomar ar thaobhanna eile na díospóireachta mar bhí dearcadh amháin agam tráth dá raibh agus mé i mo scoláire agus ag freastal ar scoil lán-Ghaelach. Rinne mé céim sa Ghaeilge, agus bhí mé ag rith timpeall an Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath 30 b…

I welcome this legislation and congratulate those who brought it forward. The Labour Party is happy to support the Bill. I have a history with IEPs. In my former life as a school teacher, we used to be delighted to get to the point of an IEP because it was a bit of a struggle to get resources. I taught in a particularly disadvantaged part of Dublin. We used to be forced to get psychological assessments because we could not get them from NEPS. The level of need in our school was such that the numbers we had did not …

Does the Taoiseach believe what he reads out?

Seven were purchased in Dublin city.

Go on out of that. That is a stupid comment.

There are homeless children.

Seven homes-----

I ask the Taoiseach about leaving certificate reform, which seems to have come off the rails again, unfortunately. Much expectation was built up over the course of Covid, when we had different forms of leaving certificate assessment, that we could have a radical overhaul of this very outdated exam which is not fit for purpose. It has not changed since I did it 30 years ago. There is much disquiet about the fact that the leaving certificate results day will be late again this year, as it was last year, which has imp…

There is a serious recruitment and retention crisis in our front-line uniform services. In recent weeks, we have seen clear evidence in the shortage of paramedics and ambulance staff and we know it is proving very difficult to recruit gardaí, and many are leaving due to the working conditions and to levels of abuse and assaults. These developments add to a trend that has long been apparent in the Defence Forces. As was revealed in reply to Deputy Brendan Howlin two weeks ago, the strength of our Defence Forces has …

It never answers its phones anyway.

I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence. Many of us were attending a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice when we realised we were running late for the debate. We regret the fact the debate is being slightly rushed. It is an especially important debate given that at the heart of what we are discussing in the context of the motion, which the Labour Party supports, is the very nature of the EU. It is central to many of the debates that have been happening in this country over recent years, not least relati…

Hear, hear.

It is not the same thing.

These are not the same circumstances at all.